GaN/AIGaN Heterostructure Devices: Photodetectors and Field-Effect Transistors

Abstract

In this article, we review recent progress in GaN-based photodetectors and field-effect transistors (FETs), including optoelectronic FETs, and discuss materials parameters and fabrication technologies that determine the device characteristics of these two device families. Many types of visible-blind photodetectors and nearly all types of FETs have been demonstrated in GaN-based materials systems. However many challenges remain, both in improving the existing devices—the performance of which is still quite far from reaching its full potential—and in developing entirely new devices, which use unique properties of this wide-bandgap materials system.